The Toronto Raptors have hired Bill Bayno, who spent the last two years working under Rick Adelman in Minnesota, and Jesse Mermuys, who was Houston’s assistant coach and director of player development this past year. In addition, the club has promoted Jama Mahlalela to assistant coach/player development. They will join the recently hired Nick Nurse on an all-new staff under Casey.

Bayno will serve as the bench’s veteran, expected to have a lot of say over the team’s defence. He was a head coach at UNLV and Loyola Maramount, and has coached under the likes of Larry Brown, John Calipari, Nate McMillan and Adelman.

Related

Before joining the Rockets, Murmuys served as a video co-ordinator, advanced scout and eventually an assistant coach in Denver. He was also the director of basketball operations at the University of Arizona.

Mahlelela spent the last two years in Toronto’s front office as director of player development. He started with the Raptors in 2006 as a member of the community development staff. He played for the University of British Columbia and served as an assistant coach for four seasons at the University of Toronto.

“One profile we were going for is player development … Bill Bayno is one of the best in the league as far as player development,” Casey said during a conference call Thursday. “He did an excellent job working with guys, and developing players …

“Jesse did a good job not only in Denver, but working with James Harden in Houston. [And] Jama is one of the best player-relations, player-development guys that we have. I saw that. He was working in the front office … but he was also on the court with us in my two seasons in Toronto. I’ve seen the talent he has for teaching guys.”

Members of last year’s staff — Johnny Davis, Scott Roth and Eric Hughes — were either not retained or found other employment. The team is expected to retain Tom Sterner and John Townsend in yet-to-be-determined roles.